COMICS: Allan Heinberg On The Deaths And Resurrections In THE CHILDREN'S CRUSADE

COMICS: Allan Heinberg On The Deaths And Resurrections In THE CHILDREN'S CRUSADE

The Avengers: The Children's Crusade writer reveals his motivation for killing off two of the Young Avengers and bringing back a long dead Avenger to the Marvel Universe. Read on for more.

By JoshWilding - Mar 12, 2012 11:03 AM EST
Filed Under: Marvel Comics
Source: Newsarama

Avengers: The Children's Crusade started back in 2010 and finally came to a close with the ninth issue last week. Written by Allan Heinberg, with art from Jim Cheung, the series brought the Scarlet Witch back to the Marvel Universe and served as a prologue of sorts to Avengers Vs. X-Men. Most shocking however was the death of Young Avengers, Vision and Stature (Cassie Lang). However, it also brought back a character who was killed off in 2004's Avengers Disassembled - Scott Lang, a.k.a. Ant-Man.



"Cassie's death was foreshadowed as early as Crusade #2," revealed Heinberg in a recent interview with Newsarama. "Her objective was always to bend or break the rules of time and space to bring her father back from the dead. The Vision and Kate each warned her that there would be a price to pay if she succeeded. And her death was the ultimate price. I love Cassie — and I'm not a big fan of killing comic book characters in general — but it felt to all of us that there had to be high-stakes — and even tragic — consequences to the kids' actions," he said. "Just as Wanda's actions had tragic consequences. To me, that felt very much like the lesson the kids had to learn from Crusade. No matter how noble your intentions, the life of a super-hero comes with huge costs and consequences.

As for the decision to bring back Scott Lang (who will more than likely take back the Ant-Man mantle after the death of Eric O'Grady in the pages of Secret Avengers) the writer had this to say. "To us, it seemed like a logical outgrowth of Cassie's motivation for wanting to find the Scarlet Witch in the first place. And it seemed a terrible waste to bring Scott back for an issue or two, only to kill him again. Plus, I've always been a fan of the character. Particularly Geoff Johns' take on him from his Avengers run." Scott Lang was always my favourite Ant-Man, so I for one am glad to see him back! How about you guys? For more, be sure to click on the link below to read the interview in full.

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MarkCassidy
MarkCassidy - 3/12/2012, 12:21 PM
I actually bought this issue the other day cos of the whole Wiccan/Hulkling thing and really liked it. Never read the previous 8 though so didn't quite get everything that was happening, but I'll be picking up the trade.
MarkCassidy
MarkCassidy - 3/12/2012, 12:25 PM
Yes:)
SotNatt
SotNatt - 3/12/2012, 12:37 PM
@RorMachine

Hahahahahaha.

Pick up the other eight issues. Yes, gay is all good and fine and everything, but it's such a good prologue/tie-in story.

I didn't get the foreshadowing of Cassie's death in earlier issues as it's stated here, but the kids in general have been playing an awful lot of Russian Roulette. So...to see that their actions have real, long-term consequences is refreshing.

I'm just glad Speedster didn't die, because I sort of felt like he was the one that was going to kick the bucket. I loved Stature, but Speedster is my favourite, and just...no. I wouldn't have any of that, thank you.

I forgot the Vision too. :*( I just remembered that this ending is such a [frick]ing downer.
Dedpool
Dedpool - 3/12/2012, 12:37 PM
That's kinda sad!
MarkCassidy
MarkCassidy - 3/12/2012, 12:59 PM
The only major character that I can think of that was never brought back was Sandman (Morpheus) but I think that's only because Gaiman wouldn't go for it, otherwise he would be right there with the JLD or something. I'd kinda like to see another take on him, been ages now.

By the way, can any fans of this series tell me why nobody really gave a shit when Iron lad threw a tantrum and killed Vision?
JoshWilding
JoshWilding - 3/12/2012, 1:05 PM
Ror: I think it was because he can so easily be rebuilt...they just decide not to bring him back (an editorial decision based on the fact that Bendis has brought back the original Vision over in Avengers I'm guessing).

JoshWilding
JoshWilding - 3/12/2012, 1:10 PM
Jim Cheung is a nice guy. I met him at the LSCC and asked if he could do me a sketch of Cyclops. Unfortunately, it was too late in the day and he'd had way too many other requests, but he was still a cool dude. The Black Cat sketch he was working on was a real beaut too!
Witch
Witch - 3/12/2012, 1:24 PM
They're going to bring Cassie back for sure, but I'm sad that we won't be seeing the Young Avengers for a time now...
Hawksblueyes
Hawksblueyes - 3/12/2012, 1:48 PM
The real shame with The Vision is that he used to be a bonafied BAD ASS! For years and years he was one of The Avengers most powerful members. Now, every time a writer wants to make an impact, somebody tears him to pieces because he can be rebuilt. He shares the same traits as Wolverine (who also used to be a badass and now gets shredded in almost every issue he is in) for the "money shot." Blow him up for impact and next year we will rebuild him.
CherryBomb
CherryBomb - 3/12/2012, 2:00 PM
Nooo! not Cassie! :'(
FlixMentallo21
FlixMentallo21 - 3/12/2012, 2:03 PM
I can understand Heinberg's reasons for writing Cassie that way, but....I still can't forgive him for not finding another way that didn't involve killing her. She's my 11th favorite Marvel hero, and I'm still absolutely outraged they went and did this. And seriously, DID they have to kill Eric O' Grady too?? Why couldn't Scott Lang just retire already? That's it, I want a moratorium put on character deaths as a storytelling device, as of NOW. >:(
imnotwearinghockeypants
imnotwearinghockeypants - 3/12/2012, 2:29 PM
Duuuuurrrr…
KingLobo
KingLobo - 3/12/2012, 2:37 PM
@JoshWilding How in the hell dose one kill of Hell Boy?
I'm not ahuge reader of Hell Boy or Marvel but I can't imagine Killing off Hell Boy forever...I mean does he just not want to do the comics anymore?

It's like...We'll kill Superman/batman/captain America/ Spiderman/Human Torch....do it and then ...oh look they're BAAAAAAAACK
hoodedjester
hoodedjester - 3/12/2012, 3:18 PM
I can't say that I know one single person who enjoys the whole "lets kill off a character and bring them back in 2 months" thing that Marvel has continued to do over the past few years. It's annoying.

Anyone else wonder why Uncle Ben hasn't come back or maybe Bruce Wayne's parents or the whole race from Krypton? When a character dies - let them stay dead so it actually means something.

@ Cherry - at least your new profile pic makes up for the lame news about Ms. Marvel,
JohnTom88
JohnTom88 - 3/12/2012, 3:50 PM
Cassie = Jailbait blonde teen, how could they have the nerve to kill her?
theomegasanction
theomegasanction - 3/12/2012, 4:20 PM
Character kill offs are definitely losing their impact. My first experience was the Knightfall series that "killed off" Batman and I stopped buying that title, until Wayne returned. It was also partly because bad art and not liking new story lines. When I got back into reading comics I knew that's just part of the game and learned to enjoy the break always knowing that the character will return. Like when Captain America died and Bucky was a good stand in. Also you have to figure that there is always a new generation of comic book fans that have never experienced a character death. So it's something new for them
13echo
13echo - 3/12/2012, 5:39 PM
Don't worry 6 mo from now she'll be back thrum some marvel miracle ....
Gutts81
Gutts81 - 3/12/2012, 9:45 PM
I took a look at it last week it pisses me off in a way. I mean Scott Lang is not a top tier character and the way he died was dope. Opening shots in Avengers disassemble. Now he comes back as a trade off of Cassie and Eric(current ant-man) [frick]ing blows! One of the few things I have been upset at marvel with.
MatioShack
MatioShack - 3/13/2012, 2:43 PM
What consequences? Someone's just going to bring her back in a year. Look at the Scarlet Witch thing. Hawkeye is back. There's a new Vision. The only one who bought it and stayed gone was Jack of Hearts and who gives a crap about him? It's not tragic when a superhero dies, it's just a joke at this point.
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